[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 589 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 589

  Calling on the Secretary of Education to work with stakeholders to 
immediately eliminate race-based Native logos, mascots, and names from 
   State educational institutions, and calling on State educational 
 institutions and national sports franchises to cease the unsanctioned 
                 use of such logos, mascots, and names.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2023

   Mr. Pallone (for himself and Ms. Norton) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Calling on the Secretary of Education to work with stakeholders to 
immediately eliminate race-based Native logos, mascots, and names from 
   State educational institutions, and calling on State educational 
 institutions and national sports franchises to cease the unsanctioned 
                 use of such logos, mascots, and names.

Whereas, based on article I, section 8, of the United States Constitution, 
        treaties, Federal statutes, and court decisions, the United States has a 
        unique historical and legal relationship with the American Indian and 
        Alaska Native peoples, which serves as the basis for the Federal 
        Government's trust responsibility and obligations to the American Indian 
        and Alaska Native peoples;
Whereas there are 574 federally recognized Indian Tribes in the United States, 
        with some 40 percent of Indian Tribes located in the State of Alaska;
Whereas Indian Tribes have principal responsibility for lands and people within 
        their jurisdictions;
Whereas this responsibility extends to educating their American Indian and 
        Alaska Native students and providing adequate educational facilities in 
        which the students can learn;
Whereas kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools all over the Nation use 
        words and symbols representing their schools that are harmful to Native 
        Americans;
Whereas nationally, more than 1,900 kindergarten, elementary, and secondary 
        schools inappropriately use such harmful names or nicknames, and these 
        names or symbols often become mascots and are used at athletic games for 
        mascot characters, chants, and other antics;
Whereas, although these school communities do not intend disrespect toward 
        Native Americans, that is the end result of allowing these harmful terms 
        to continue in educational institutions;
Whereas there have been national sports teams that have recognized that their 
        mascots were racist and harmful to Native American communities;
Whereas there has been scientific research conducted to determine the harmful 
        effects of these ``Native'' sports mascots on our Native youth;
Whereas multiple academic studies over the last few decades have found that 
        American Indian and Alaska Native high school and college students had a 
        consistent, negative reaction to stereotypical mascots because these 
        images and names remind Native youth of the limited ways in which others 
        see them, which in turn restricts how they see themselves, and, 
        importantly, the self-esteem of non-Native youths rose when presented 
        with the same images; and
Whereas the American Psychological Association has determined that these 
        representations also undermine the ability of Native Nations and peoples 
        to portray themselves accurately as distinct and diverse cultures, and 
        that stereotypical images are a dominant culture's prejudiced 
        representations of a racial or ethnic minority group: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives condemns all racism and 
        discrimination;
            (2) the Secretary of Education should work with Tribal 
        Nations, Native American groups, public kindergarten, 
        elementary, and secondary schools, and other stakeholders, to 
        immediately eliminate race-based Native logos, mascots, and 
        names from State educational institutions across the United 
        States, especially those receiving Federal funds; and
            (3) the House of Representatives calls for State 
        educational institutions and national sports franchises to 
        cease the unsanctioned use of such race-based Native logos, 
        mascots, and names in the effort to overcome these stereotypes 
        and raise the self-esteem of Native students so they have the 
        same opportunity as their non-Native peers to achieve 
        academically without discrimination.
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